Can a Vitamin Deficiency Look Like ADHD or OCD? Here’s Proof

In this episode of Demystifying PANS/PANDAS, Dr. James Greenblatt unpacks the critical role of functional psychiatry in treating complex neuropsychiatric disorders like anorexia, mood dysregulation, OCD, and ADHD. From addressing low cholesterol and vitamin deficiencies to using nutritional lithium, he shares practical and hopeful interventions for healing children by addressing root causes.

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In this episode of Demystifying PANS/PANDAS, Dr. James Greenblatt joins us to explore functional psychiatry and its application in children with complex neuropsychiatric challenges. He explains how disorders like anorexia, OCD, and ADHD in the context of PANS/PANDAS are too often treated with medications alone. Instead, he champions a root-cause approach that includes careful nutritional assessments, family history, and metabolic factors. From incorporating cognitive behavioral therapy to evaluating vitamin and cholesterol levels, he emphasizes how addressing the whole child is key to dramatic improvements.

Our conversation also delves into the profound impact of micronutrients like lithium orotate and folinic acid, and why dismissing diet, infections, and functional lab testing is costing kids their mental health. Whether you’re a parent or a practitioner, this episode provides actionable insights and a renewed sense of hope that healing is not only possible—it’s happening.

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Dr. James Greenblatt is a board-certified child and adult psychiatrist and a pioneer in functional and integrative psychiatry. With over three decades of clinical experience, he has transformed the way practitioners and families understand and treat complex mental health conditions, including anorexia, depression, ADHD, OCD, and PANS/PANDAS.

He is the founder of Psychiatry Redefined, a leading educational platform for clinicians seeking to learn functional psychiatry, and Mind Refined, a consumer-focused initiative offering courses and resources for families navigating psychiatric challenges. Dr. Greenblatt also serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Tufts and Dartmouth medical schools, and is the former Chief Medical Officer of Walden Behavioral Care, a national organization specializing in eating disorders.

A prolific author of eight books, including the bestselling Finally Focused, a natural treatment plan for ADHD, Dr. Greenblatt has educated thousands of professionals on how nutritional imbalances, immune dysfunction, and overlooked lab markers can drive psychiatric symptoms. His evidence-informed, deeply compassionate approach is reshaping the future of mental health care—one individualized patient plan at a time.

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Website: https://www.jamesgreenblattmd.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychiatry_redefined/

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